Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Providing Panaram autocephaly Churches in Ukraine should become a precedent in the attitude of the Church of Greece, said the journalist Georgios Papathanasopoulos.
In this case, the autocephaly should be granted to all Churches in Greece, including those which are under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. This was stated by the Greek writer and journalist Georgios Papathanasopoulos, according to “Romfea”.
He explains that Ukraine and Greece are independent States, and all the Churches in Greece, as in Ukraine, should become Autocephalous.
“This is due to the fact that data are shared in both cases… Ukraine – the independent state, independent state, and Greece. Thus, Fanar cannot make a decision about autocephaly in Ukraine and not to do the same in Greece. Ethically and ecclesiologically he must immediately move to the full integration of the dioceses of Crete and the Dodecanese in the Greek Church without any conditions,” – says the writer.
He emphasizes that the purpose of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to give the government of the Church in Ukraine, that is ecclesiastical independence from the Moscow Patriarchate, “ignores the millions of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine who are loyal to the Russian Church”.
Greece (Greek) Orthodox Church – Autocephalous Local Orthodox Church, has the state status.
Historically, the Orthodox population of today’s Greece were part of the jurisdiction of the Constantinople Orthodox Church. After independence in 1822 and the formation of the Greek Kingdom in 1832, this situation has become politically impossible. In 1833, by the decision of the Bavarian Regents, on behalf of the minor king Otto I, a special Declaration was proclaimed autocephaly of the Church in the Kingdom. The head of the Church declared the king. Such one-sided, in violation of Church law, the jurisdictional Declaration of independence was not recognized by the Church of Constantinople and other local churches. There arose a schism, which lasted 17 years.
29 Jun 1850 Tomos of the Patriarch anfima IV the Church in Greece was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate which, however, have documented a number of conditions for the special status of “Mother Church” in Greece.
Since 1949 the state has taken upon itself the material concern for the clergy. Teachers of seminaries and teachers of God’s Law in high school are in the position of government officials; the Seminary also provides at public expense.
Diocese of Crete and the Dodecanese, as well as all the monasteries of mount Athos are under the direct jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople and are not considered part of the Church of Greece.